INDIANAPOLIS– Governor Mike Pence today named Jim Schellinger as president of the Indiana Economic Development Corporation (IEDC). He currently serves as the chairman and chief executive officer of CSO Architects and is a member of the IEDC Board of Directors.

“Since day one, our administration has prioritized establishing Indiana as the best state in the nation for job creation. To do this, we need a top-notch team at the Indiana Economic Development Corporation, and Jim Schellinger is the right man at the right time to lead the organization,” said Governor Pence. “Already this year, Hoosier companies have committed to creating more than 15,000 new jobs in the coming years with salaries well above the state’s current average. I am confident that Jim, with his unmatched business leadership experience, will continue to build on this progress and attract both national and international recognition and investment in the Hoosier State.”

Schellinger joined CSO, one of Indiana’s largest architectural firms, in 1987 and was named president and chief executive officer in 1996 at age 36. He has led the firm through unprecedented growth, completing landmark projects including Circle Centre Mall, the Indiana Historical Society Museum, Indiana State Government Center North, Anthem Operations Center, the new Indianapolis International Airport, the JW Marriott Complex, The Palladium at the Center for Performing Arts, New Saint Joseph High School in South Bend, his alma mater, and most recently, the planning and implementation of improvements to the Indianapolis Motor Speedway. Starting August 10, 2015, Schellinger will commence a leave of absence from CSO.

He has committed significant time to corporate and community service as a member of the Catholic Archdiocese of Indianapolis and IU School of Public and Environmental Affairs Dean’s Council, as well as a board member of the Catholic Community Foundation, Indiana Sports Corp., Boy Scouts Crossroads of America and the Indiana Construction Roundtable. Schellinger also served on the Indianapolis Capital Improvement Board, where he chaired the city’s new stadium and convention center taskforce, as well as the Super Bowl Host Committee, leading the weather preparedness and response committee.

“I greatly appreciate this opportunity to positively impact the economic progress in Indiana for years to come,” said Schellinger. “I look forward to working with Governor Pence, Secretary of Commerce Victor Smith and the IEDC team to support the growth of our Hoosier businesses and attract new companies to Indiana as we commit to ensuring quality employment for our residents across the state.”

A South Bend, Indiana, native, Schellinger earned a Bachelor of Architecture from the University of Notre Dame. He was awarded the Sagamore of the Wabash in 2005 and is a member of both the American Institute of Architects (AIA) and the National Council of Architectural Registration Boards. His commitment to leadership has been recognized through honors such as an appointment to the Commandant’s National Security Leader Development program at the U.S. Army War College in Carlisle, Pennsylvania, and recognition as the Government Relations Member of the Year from AIA Indiana in 2014.

Schellinger was appointed to the IEDC board by Governor Pence in May 2013, serving as an integral advisor for the state’s economic development efforts. Since that time, the IEDC has secured more than 700 projects with companies, which committed to creating nearly 60,000 new Hoosier jobs and investing more than $9 billion in their Indiana operations in the coming years. Last month, Indiana ranked first in the nation for cost of doing business, as well as eighth for its economy, by CNBC and in May, Indiana ranked first in the Midwest and sixth nationwide as the best place to do business by Chief Executive magazine.